On the Road Again – in Leeds

Leeds is a cosmopolitan energetic city where stylish new architecture rubs shoulders happily with its Victorian past. The city sits on the south side of the River Aire in West Yorkshire.

Queen Victoria and her consort Prince Albert visited the city in September 1858 to open the city’s iconic Town Hall, fast forward almost exactly 100 years and Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip made the same visit in October 1958 for the Leeds (classical) Music Festival which was held every three years between 1858 and 1985. The first festival was held to celebrate the opening of the Town Hall by Queen Victoria.

It may be a little-known fact that Joseph Priestley invented carbonated water in Leeds back in 1767, it was later in 1786 however that it was commercialised in Switzerland by Jacob Schweppes, a name we still associate with carbonated soft drinks today!

As an aside Joseph Priestley was also the man who invented oxygen.

The city is diverse and creative with a vibrant food scene, award winning theatre culture, home to international sporting events, host to many well-known festivals and a wide range of retail therapy opportunities.

Leeds is a city of ornate shopping arcades with beautiful high glass domed ceilings, their Victorian splendour is a delight to any visitor; The Grand Arcade (on New Briggate), Thorntons Arcade (on Lands Lane) and Queens Arcade (on Briggate) were built between 1878 and 1889.

The Victoria Quarter comprises a group of ornate arcades built between 1898 and 1904 but extensively refurbished in 1990, it provides a haven of exclusive shopping of style & fashion where you will find shops such as Hobbs, Vivien Westwood, Karen Millen and Harvey Nicholls.

Victoria Gate opened in 2016 to house John Lewis but also has many other retailers in the centre which is based on the arcade style of Leeds. It was named as ‘Best Shopping Centre’ in 2017 having competed against Japan, Hong Kong & China to win the award.

The John Lewis building is totally unique with its exterior being made of a complex crisscrossed pattern which pays homage to the textile heritage of the city. Some 360,000 individual bricks created into an intricate pattern embellish the arcade itself.

City Square is now a lively area in the centre of the city opposite the railway station and the Queens Hotel. The square is dominated by the beauty of the Old Post Office, which was built in 1896, the Grade II listed building has now been converted into two stylish and elegant restaurants with outside seating areas.

Several large bronze statues that were part of the celebrations when Leeds was granted city status back in 1893, surround the square.

City walking tours start from this point.

Kirkgate Market is known for being one of the largest indoor markets in Europe, sadly there are several empty stalls now, but it is still worth a visit to see the buildings fabulously ornate interior.

Granary Wharf was redeveloped from the original railway arches in 2009 into a modern complex by the canal, it is a five-minute walk from the city centre via various walkways, one of which gives a direct link to the railway station. The development consists of two residential apartments buildings, a hotel, a lively bar and restaurant along with open spaces with canal views.

Trinity is a shopping centre in the centre of the city with a range of shops and restaurants. A huge silver packhorse stands in the glass atrium of Trinity, it reflects the horses that used to move goods around the city.

The Leeds food scene reflects its cosmopolitan lifestyle with a cuisine to suit all tastes, there are bars, cafes & restaurants on every street to tempt you. There are many restaurants that cater for food intolerances, you can read more about this in my Blog ‘On the Road Again – Gluten Free Dining in Leeds’

The Corn Exchange is located on Call Lane, the splendid Victorian building now houses a mixture of artisan food outlets, unique independent shops, art shows and record fairs. It’s a great place to have a poke around, there seems to be something different every time I visit!

Light Night is a magnificent festival of light that takes place in October, it is the largest light festival in the UK and takes place over two nights. Captivating light shows set to music are projected onto iconic buildings around the city. There are street performances, music, interactive installations and a parade not to be missed! The roads are closed off and become home to a myriad of street food vendors with a wide range of dishes.

It is a fantastic event for all ages, the atmosphere is electric! In 2019 around 150,000 people from home and abroad headed to the city to enjoy the unique spectacle. If you have never experienced the Light Night in Leeds, put it in your diary for next year!

Other places and things of interest:

Leeds Water Taxi runs between Granary Wharf & Leeds Dock.
Roundhay Park & Tropical World is on the outskirts of the city.
Temple Newsam lies about 5 miles from the city centre, the Gardens of this Tudor–Jacobean house were landscaped by Capability Brown.
Harewood House, built between 1759 & 1771 is just under 9 miles from the city centre, and it offers a great family day out! There’s lots of festive events happening over the next few weeks!
Royal Armouries Museum near the Docks brings history to life with something to attract the whole family.

Leeds is easily accessible by road, rail or air (there is a frequent bus service from Leeds Bradford airport at Yeadon to the city centre & only takes 40 minutes)

Whatever it is that you look for in a city break whether it be luxury hotels, shopping, meeting friends for drinks or a vibrant foodie scene Leeds has it all in abundance!

You can read about eating out in Leeds by following the link below:

Dining out in Leeds